Srinagar/Jammu, Sep 18 (UNI) In the initial three hours, overall voting in the first phase of Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections on Wednesday touched 15 per cent with Kishtwar recording 19 precent, Doda recording 17 percent and Shopian recording 15 percent as electors enthusiastically queued up to participated in the first poll in a decade for picking a 90-member House, officials said.
Kulgam and Ramban also recorded 15 percent voting, Anantnag recorded 14 percent voting and Pulwama recorded 13 percent voting in the first three hours.
Earlier, as per the updates issued by the Election Commission of India till 9.30 am the overall polling percentage was 11.11 percent.
Reports till 9.30 am said Ramban, Kishtwar, Inderwal, Doda (West) , Doda, Bhaderwah, Shopian, Padder-Nagseni, Pahalgam and Kokernag constituencies, among others, recording over 12 percent voting. In the initial two-and-a-half hours, Inderwal recorded the highest 16.01 percent voting after polling began at 7 am at all 3,276 polling stations across J&K.
As per the break-up figures, Anantnag recorded least 6 percent, Anantnag (West) – 8.55 percent, Banihal – 11 percent, Bhaderwah – 12.52 percent, DH Pora – 11.10 percent, Devsar – 10.25 percent, Doda – 12.80 percent, Doda (West) – 13.56 percent, Dooru -10.42 percent, Inderwal – 16.01 percent, Kishtwar – 15.02 percent, Kokernag (ST) – 12 percent, Kulgam – 10.98 percent, Padder-Nagseni -12.62 percent, Pahalgam – 12.56 percent, Pampore -8.81 percent, Pulwama – 10.50 percent, Rajpora – 9.97 percent, Ramban – 13.08 percent, Shangus – Anantnag (East) – 10.28 percent, Shopian – 13 percent, Srigufwara-Bijbehara -11.60 percent, Tral -7.33 percent and Zainapora -10 percent.
A National Conference leader in Ramban alleged that voting machines in some of the polling stations, which are in strongholds of the party, were malfunctioning, disrupting voting.
National Conference leader Omar Abdullah told media persons, “The more the people vote, the better it will be for our party and J&K.”
Long queues of voters were seen early in the morning outside polling booths, including Mazmu area in Kulgam district in south Kashmir, as electorate showed enthusiasm in taking part in first major democratic exercise to elect an Assembly since the revocation of Article 370 and conversion of the State into a Union Territory in August 2019. The last Assembly election in the erstwhile J&K state was held in 2014.
Earlier, Prime Minister Narendra Modi called upon voters, especially “young and first-time voters,” to exercise their franchise as the first phase of assembly elections has begun in Jammu and Kashmir.
On the social media post of X, PM Narendra Modi wrote, “As the first phase of the Jammu and Kashmir Assembly elections begins, I urge all those in constituencies going to the polls today to vote in large numbers and strengthen the festival of democracy. I particularly call upon young and first-time voters to exercise their franchise.”
Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha posted on X, “J&K Assembly elections commence today. I call upon all the voters whose assembly constituencies are voting in the first phase today to turn out in record numbers & exercise their democratic rights. I especially urge youth, women and first-time voters to vote in large numbers.”
Congress president Mallikarjun Kharge also appealed to voters in Jammu and Kashmir to come out and vote in large numbers to bring peace, stability, justice and progress in the Union Territory. “Every single vote holds the power to shape the future and bring about an era of peace, stability, justice, progress, and economic empowerment. We appeal to all, especially first-time voters, to participate in this crucial election and be the catalysts for change,” Kharge said on X.
Meanwhile tight security arrangements are put in place across the Union Territory to facilitate smooth and incident free polling.
Assembly elections are being held in Jammu and Kashmir in three phases on September 18, September 25 and on October 1. The counting will take place on October 8.
A total of 23.27 lakh voters are eligible to vote to decide the electoral fate of 219 candidates in this phase of the elections.
Prominent candidates in the first phase include senior Congress working committee member Ghulam Ahmed Mir, PDP’s Iltija Mufti (daughter of party chief Mehbooba Mufti), CPIM leader Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami, PDP youth leader Waheed Para, former MP and National Conference leader Hasnain Masoodi, senior NC leader Sakeena Itoo, BJP leader Sofi Youusf, former Jamaat-e-Islami member Talat Majeed, independent candidate G M Saroori, BJP’s Sushri Parihar, NC’s Sajad Kichloo among others.
